The official media Cubadebate announced that the school year 2026-2027 will begin on September 1, and published an image of a bright classroom, painted and decorated, with smiling children.
According to the post on Facebook, the Minister of Education, Naima Ariatne Trujillo Barreto, began a national tour on Thursday to "verify the conditions established in educational centers" that ensure a good start to the school year.
But the actual conditions described by parents, teachers, and students stand in stark contrast to that institutional language. The response was immediate and devastating: hundreds of Cubans flooded the publication with questions and criticisms that the regime does not address.
"With what current, with what uniform, with what water, with what snack?" inquired an internet user.
Another was more direct about the pedagogical consequences: "And how can one learn without getting eight hours of sleep? How can one concentrate if many will go hungry and even without water to drink, and dirty, because there is no way to wash?"
"Those children are not going to learn anything because the brain doesn't function without food and lacks sleep," concluded a third person.
In the midst of an energy crisis, with power outages lasting over 20 hours daily, many adults consider it an abuse to subject their children to a school day after a night with little to no sleep.
"Children who can't even sleep, cooking something decent is an odyssey. Uniforms that are useless, a backpack, sneakers, and everything is so expensive. How do you manage to prepare a snack with the salaries that parents have?" wrote another user.
Several comments described a devastating portrait.
"Schools falling apart, broken tables and chairs, useless blackboards (...) if they delve deeper into the matter, they will have to close the schools. As for the basic study materials, there's nothing to mention. And what can be said about the lack of teachers?" lamented a commentator.
"If the students are not in a position to start this circus, the teachers are even less so. Add to this that last school year ended early due to a critical situation, and right now it is tripled for the worse. This is not education; it is torture for both teachers and students," stated another.
One mother summed up her stance unambiguously: "My children are kids; they shouldn't have to make any sacrifices for anything. If there's no electricity, they won't go; if there's no snack, they won't go; if there's no water, they won't go; if there's no uniform, they won't go."
Many parents advocate for delaying the start of the school year.
"There is nothing, and according to what they say, the blackouts are going to worsen, there will be even less. What a shame these people are, starting a school year without proper conditions, just to pretend that everything is fine..." questioned a mother.
Many even question the practical usefulness of studying in Cuba, "so that in the end their degrees won't be of any use...".
"In the end, it’s of no use to study so much in this country; just look at how much a doctor earns and if their salary is enough..." a user recalled.
The frequent power outages and the material decline of the schools are compounded by a teacher crisis. The education system is facing a shortage of at least 24,000 teachers, which corresponds to 12.5% of the expected positions. This past Friday, a teacher from Holguín publicly challenged Díaz-Canel, stating that "they haven't been paid since May."
For families, there is a significant concern about addressing essential issues such as snacks, shoes, school supplies, and backpacks.
The food situation is equally critical. The World Food Program reported that 48.5% of Cuban students aged six to eleven do not receive any meals or snacks at school.
The previous school year ended early due to energy reasons, between June 15 and June 30, weeks ahead of schedule. Now the regime announces a new start as if nothing has changed.
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